2nd Annaul ManBearPig Maiden

Ah April… Springtime is here and this can only mean the ManBearPig is right around the corner! And with it, come bragging right for a whole year.

Last year’s edition provided quite the thrills on Derby Day. The idea for this race came to be when two owners decided they wanted to have a showdown of who had the best horses in their stables. Then it came down to the conditions and race track. After much deliberation, it was decided it would be a 2 year old maiden at 6 furlongs on dirt on Derby Day. What is the next best thing to the Derby? A field full of unproven maiden 2 year olds! Thrills and surprises galore, just like the Derby.

Here is a recap of last year’s edition:

Winner – Special Relativity(KY) (Majesticperfection x Political Force x Gone West)

Place – Last Stop(KY) (Tiznow x Malibu Moon x Major Impact)

Show – Evocative(KY) (Smart Strike x Sky Mesa x Unbridled’s Song)

From the 20 horse field emerged:

13 winners
3 stakes placed horses
1 graded placed horse

For this year’s edition, we are expecting bigger and better triumphs for our two year olds. To get the ball rolling, here are a few juveniles to keep an eye on.

Smartness Wanted (KY) – Bernardini x Smart Strike x Nureyev

This handsome brown colt is out of the mare Bj’s Wanted who has produced one other foal. The mare liked to sprint on the turf, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Smartness Wanted prefers sprinting on the dirt.

Aestival(KY) – More Than Ready x Vindication x Forty Niner

Aestival is out of the mare Vindictive Love, who has done next to nothing in her racing career. Aside from that, More Than Ready is topping the two year old list and hopefully the mare didn’t pass on any of her nonexistent racing genes.

Misty Pegasus(KY) – Fusaichi Pegasus x Pivotal x El Prado

Misty, as he is called at the barn, is out of Misty Sermon. His backend pedigree does look a little on the turfy side, but unlike Aestival’s dam, Misty Sermon liked to dirt sprint.

Elusively Easy – Pulpit x Elusive Quality x Unbridled’s Song

Elusively Easy is a son of Pulpit. His first start was at 6 furlongs earning a 60 speed figure. A two month rest should do this colt well. The dam of Elusively Easy, Wind Singer, had mild success on the turf by winning at distances of 10f-12f.

She’s All the Talk – Courageous Cat x Malibu Moon x Major Impact

A half sister to last year’s ManBearPig second place finisher, Last Stop, She’s All The Talk never did any serious running in her first start with a 38 on the turf. Her dam never won a race but has proved to be a successful broodmare with Last Stop, a 3yo Tiznow colt who is MGSP. She’s All the Talk may do her best running in dirt sprints, as influenced by her sire. Hopes are high for this homebred filly.

Alex’s Groupie – Elusive Quality x Dixieland Band x A.P. Indy

Alex’s Groupie will be making the first start of his career in the ManBearPig. This son of Elusive Quality has high potential. The nick of Elusive Quality x Dixieland Band has been a successful pairing, producing 14 same type offspring earning an average of about $65,000. The classic American bred 3×4 cross with Northern Dancer has proved successful in real life with Union Rags, High Cotton, Grand Reward, Redoute’s Choice, just to name a few. The dam was not a good runner earning a high speed figure of 80 in a dirt route.